Royal Institute of Truth
The Grostere Royal Institute of Truth is the academic arm of the Church of Truth in the Kingdom of Grostere, located in the capital. It is filled with scholars and clerics of the god Pelor devoted to interpreting the various visions and signs sent to people and oracles across the world to create a single version of text that is known as the Truth. History Pelor's Glory For more on this topic, see here. The Royal Institute was founded by King Sanctus I following the conflict between the Noble States and the Seethe-Tenshackle Alliance, the old king seeking to end schisms that had emerged during the conflict, as there was a great desire to answer the questions of the drought and the reason for the conflict. The Long Night For more on this topic, see here. The Royal Institute had become so large that it required extensive expansion to its facilities, during this time little work was done to collect the prophecies of a diverse collection of people and instead those omens that foretold fortune and peace were favoured over the doomsayers by request of the monarch who was concerned over growing unrest. As a result the Institute failed to predict the exodus of the vampire ruling class from Quel'Doran nor the subsequent slaughter as they moved across northern Etan. It was during this time the Excori branch of the Institute was formed. The Divine Era For more on this topic, see here. At the start of the Divine Era and the subsequent Silence that followed, the Institute was bombarded with thousands of prophecies and omens which suddenly stopped once the gods ceased to send messages to their faithful. The number of omens and warnings was so great that the Institute was still revising the Truth when the War in the Silence began, with the Patre Evech losing faith as he foresaw the doom of the world in what he read. The War in the Silence For more on this topic, see here. During the War in the Silence the Royal Institute was neutral during the civil war that gripped the Kingdom, its prophecies pointed towards the exarchs as being the salvation of the world but those that had been recording the Truth for years saw inherent contradictions with the potential for a disastrous interpretation being presented to the world fanning the flames of war. Thus the Institute did not publish the huge tome of the Truth during the entire length of the war, keeping the previous version which promoted helping the needy and vanquishing evil. The King's Truth Following the War in the Silence, there remained a period until the two new gods, Umbarnir and Elendei arrived, with them coming the return of the other Ten, including Pelor, the only person that seemed to reliably receive visions was the king, Sanctus II. Thus a version of the Truth was drafted solely based on the interpretation of one person, known as the King's Truth, this small simple Truth was dispersed far and wide, with many finding great comfort in the words that drew on the old ways of helping those in need and overcoming evil whilst also being tempered by the realities of the war. Rise of Tiamat For more on this, see here. During the Rise of Tiamat, the Royal Institute of Truth aided the Heroes of Greenest, such as in attempting to cure their companion Barra's apparent madness, or in the providing of divinely anointed weapons to wield against the Cult of Tiamat. The New Truth Since the return of the gods, the Institute had been working tirelessly to produce another version of the Truth that interpreted the portents and signs sent by Pelor to instruct his people. Besides the King's Truth, which only had one source of prophecy to interpret, the New Truth was completed in the shortest time of all other Truths before it, with some criticizing the Institute for rushing out a new version in order to supersede the King's Truth as quickly as possible. Functions The Royal Institute has many duties and functions that it undertakes on behalf of the Church of Truth and in service to the Kingdom. Formation of the Truth The Truth is created from the collected words of all manner of prophets, diviners, soothsayers, tarot readers, bird watchers, witnesses of strange circumstances, the accounts of pilgrims to holy sites, the diaries of people associated with miracles and even the pieces of art and tapestries illuminated by sun beams at certain times of the day. All of this information is collected by the Inventi of the Institute and sent to the Scholari to be reviewed. It is then inscribed, common themes are isolated, non-divine events are dismissed, outlying prophecies or omens are sent to a Primi Scholari for review, until a codified version of what Pelor appears to be sending to people is established, this is then examined by a panel of Scholari, clerics and priests. This is then compared to the previous Truths to establish that there has been no major divergence in interpretations until it can be drafted into a text that can be read by those well versed in religious readings and dispersed in fragments to different parts of the Institute who review and annotate the pieces they have and return it to panel who present a final draft to the Patre Evech of the Word, who usually has been reviewing the work at every stage until they make their final recommendations and present it to the Pontif Solier, who then can declare it as the Truth or decline and send it for further redrafts. This process takes around ten to fifteen years from the moment that the prophecies that the Inventi are collecting begin to diverge from the previous works and the Patre Evech calls for a redraft of the Truth to be undertaken. The Institute never stops collecting prophecies, sending its members out into the world year round. Divine Magic Studies For more on this, see here. As an academic school, the principles of magic and the connection that many clerics, oracles and paladins have to the divine that allows them to channel the will of their god, the Institute instructs its members as best it can as much of the process is based upon an individual's faith and the desire of Pelor to grant them power. Divination The school of divination is a prominent one within the Church of Truth in general, with omens and prophecies a large part of the core tenants of the faith. Many oracles of Pelor are granted divination abilities, able to cut through the fog that blocks vision and grant insight into future events. Others are able to cast their eyes to anywhere touched by the light of the sun to witness events there, some even able to step into the light and allow it to transport themselves to such places. Many are able to speak with great confidence as they have foreseen the responses those they are talking to will have or what their desires are. Healing Arts Magic that can heal is sought by many in the world, with the Institute of Truth being specialists in channeling the healing powers of growth and warm light that can heal the lame, mend broken bones and re-knit flesh in an instant. Such magics is particularly effective against injures recently inflicted, with more powerful members of the Church able to cure long term ailments. Invoking the Sun An aspect of Pelor is that of the Hateful Sun, the destructive magics of light that can be evoked to burn or sear the enemies of the sun god, this power can also be used to force someone to disarm as the power of the sun burns their weapon from their hands. This magic is the favoured tool of the Excori and inquisitors that have taken to use the burning brand symbol of King Sanctus II as the mark of their kingdom as well as their god. Incarneum The study of the soul and its relationship to divine magics, this school of magic is often considered one of the more divergent to the rest of the Institute as while the power of Pelor is invoked during rituals involving such magic, the will of the individuals involved appears to be a stronger component. An example of its use is the resurrection of the dead, a powerful ritual that requires the caster to call upon not only their god but also the soul of the deceased which can sometimes be held by the God of Death and thus would need to be wrest from their grasp. Usually it is only those with a powerful soul able to resist the pull of the void or have some divine guardian that prevented them from being lost so their soul can be returned to the their body. Structure The organisational structure of the Church of Truth is divided into three distinct parts, the Scholari, the Inventi and the Excori with each division being led by a number of Primi or ''heads ''that report to the Patre Evech Dictis, the Patre of the Word that is tasked with presenting the Truth to the Pontif Solier. Patre Evech Dictis The current Patre of the Word is Professor Enclair Rinsen once of the Scholari discipline. She is a very intelligent woman devoted to uncovering the mysteries of the divine and understanding the changes that threaten to overturn the world. Scholari This arm of the Institute is devoted to reading and interpreting the various scripture and oral testimonies of visions and warnings of divine origin. They also serve as the instructional arm for much of the more mundane aspects of the academic aspects of the organisation, providing free open air schooling across the Kingdom as well as private tutors to the lords and ladies of the Court of the Sun and their children. Most priests across Grostere received training in the theological aspects of faith here. Primi The Primi Scholari are those tasked with reviewing the visions and scriptures deemed to be of particular value, resolving contradictions in the Truth as it forms as well as presenting counter arguments to proposed additions to the Secundi to answer. These members of the Institute are usually tutors to some of the most powerful people in Grostere. Secundi Whether they be one of a hundred scribes reading and annotating everything from the ravings of the local madman to the diaries of prophets or the paintings of artists, the Scholari Secudni are the true workers of the Institute. They are tasked with reading every piece of written or oral testimony of a prophetic nature, reviewing it and presenting it to their Primi for further review. These members will often travel with other members of the Institute to learn of the places that their prophecies are coming from, serving as tutors for townsfolk as they go. Inventi This arm of the Institute is tasked with the searching out of prophecy, travelling the world for oracles, soothsayers and those that appear to be touched by the gods in some way. As Grostere is a land blessed by Pelor they usually spend much of their time traveling the Kingdom collecting the words of prophets and the dreams of those that are examples of Pelor's vision. Some travel abroad for the visions of other lands to add to the Truth, to prevent the stagnation of ideas as well as to live the lifestyle that their faith preaches of traveling and seeing the world. Primi Often leading large groups of Inventi across the world, the Primi Inventi are veteran travelers that hire adventuring bands as well as mercenary companies to visit the far flung places of the world. Primi Inventi are usually powerful divine magic users, able to channel the power of Pelor to help their companies travel for long distances without fatigue or cast shielding wards against enemy attacks. Secundi Usually in the company of a Primi, Secundi are the traveling scholarly priests of the Institute, many joining adventuring companies or mercenary bands providing healing as they travel the world. Some may be given a specific task, such as finding a prophet hermit lost for years or recording the flight pattern of a particular bird associated with omens whereas others are letting Pelor himself guide them and simple wander the world. Excori An order devoted to removing curses, scourging regions of the undead and testing the faith of those whose actions contradict the Truth. Many of their number are inquisitors as well as paladins equipped to slay the undead, traveling with adventuring companies or as roaming healers and cleansers of desecrated sites, restoring holy areas and collecting lost relics. They are generally welcomed by the common folk though they are seen as the Church extending its authority to the secular administration of Grostere, with many lords and township leaders seeing them as an intrusion into their affairs. Primi Primi Excori are powerful holy warriors, able to smite the enemies of their god and bring low the greatest of beasts single handedly, though they are few and far between, as most Excori seldom survive long enough to get to highest rank. Most Primi have a number of Secundi under their command they give quests and tasks to, providing advice or acting as final arbiters of Pelor's will. Secundi Secundi Excori are the faith militant of the Church, the armed and zealous force of warriors that are devoted to the Truth, willing to lay down their lives to enact its holy will. Most serve as guardians or wandering consecrators, defending a local shrine or site of worship, seldom do they linger in one place for too long however. Many are managed by a Primi who gives them a quest to cleanse an area of corruption or to retrieve a lost relic from a tomb. Immolati The most recent order of devotees to be formed in the Institute of Truth, the Immolati are a more zealous band of holy warriors than others in the Church. Wreathed in the divine fires of their god, the Immolati charge themselves with the burning away the false prophets and exposing the weak links within the Church itself. With their work sanctioned by the Pontiff Solier herself, they have been riding a wave of activity since the Rise of Tiamat calamity, with some of their members even burning heretics at the stake. Since their order is still quite young, the normal structure of Primi and Secundi has not yet formed, if it ever will. Instead, the order relies on divine insight and portents to decide their goals, with members spreading themselves out between many different groups of the order across Grostere and beyond, with leadership decided by their faith rather than by seniority. Fire genasi have been aggressively recruited into the order, with the Institute seeking enclaves of the flame touched people to share in the faith of Pelor. Publications * Discourse on the Plight of the Eastern Human Category:Organisations Category:Pelor Category:Etan